agricultural packaging Archives

23 Dec 2023
Comments: 0

How to Dispose of Agricultural Plastics

As agriculture evolves, so does the need for responsible waste management. When it comes to agricultural plastic, proper disposal is key. The use of plastic is inevitable, but its disposal requires careful consideration to cut environmental impact. Managing agricultural plastics is crucial for environmental sustainability

Why The Concern Anyway?

With plastics being only a small percentage of packaging sources it is easy to dismiss it and keep doing what you are doing. The fact is, you cannot dismiss it, plastics help us greatly and until we come up with more eco-friendly methods of doing things we need to make sure that we are doing the best we can.

Greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastic extend beyond production, transportation, and disposal. The entire life cycle contributes to environmental harm. Besides carbon emissions, the production process releases other pollutants. This further impacts air quality. Furthermore, as plastics degrade, they emit greenhouse gases. This compounds their role in climate change. To address this issue, we need to reduce plastic consumption. There is also a need to improve recycling infrastructure and promote materials with lower environmental impacts.

Laws are changing the way we dispose of these products and you will want to check your local laws to make sure you are in accordance with them. Understanding what happens to your waste with each disposal method will help you make informed decisions for your agricultural plastics.

Landfills

Landfills have been the main way of getting rid of plastics for years but with restrictions being placed on this method new and improved ways are developing. Landfill disposal should be avoided if possible. The millions of pounds of plastic collecting in the landfills is becoming a huge problem.

New landfill sites are becoming harder and harder to find. With that being said this is a method you want to try to avoid if possible.

The push to abandon landfills is driven by various environmental and health issues. Landfills contribute to pollution through harmful leachate, impacting soil and water. During waste decomposition, methane, a potent greenhouse gas, worsens climate change. Additionally, landfills consume vast amounts of space, leading to habitat loss. Populations are growing, and the need for sustainable waste management is urgent.

Incineration

Incineration is a viable option and more eco-friendly than using landfills. Did you realize that not only could our plastics be turned into energy but that we can use it for things like heat and electricity?

If you were to take a year’s worth of greenhouse film in the United States it would produce 300,000 gallons of fuel oil? On the downside, the public has concerns about incineration. The general thought is that the combustion of these plastics produces toxic gases in the air harming people and the environment.

Incineration is deemed safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency because their levels of heavy metals is lower than the levels that cause concern. If you live near an incinerator this is a great option.

Recycle and Reuse

Reusing your plastics when you can is best simply because you don’t add more waste to the pile and you save yourself money for sure. When you cannot reuse your plastics recycling becomes another option for disposal. There is a lot of talk about whether recycling plastics is actually a sustainable method due to the nature of the polymers.

Injection-molded plastics can have up to fifty percent recyclable materials in them. Much of the plastic is being turned into mulch. There is still a lot of research being done to find out if this is really the best solution for disposing of millions of pounds of plastic.

Composting

Composting agricultural plastics poses challenges due to their composition and potential contaminants. Conventional composting systems may not break down these materials. However, alternative methods are being explored

Explore composting options for certain types of agricultural plastics. Some plastics are designed to be compostable under specific conditions. Certain industrial composting facilities equipped to handle biodegradable plastics may accept agricultural plastics. These facilities provide controlled conditions for efficient decomposition. Composting is an eco-friendly way to manage materials, but It’s important to follow guidelines.

Separate Different Types of Plastics

Different types of agricultural plastics may require distinct recycling processes. When disposing of many types, separate them based on their material composition. This helps streamline the recycling process and ensures materials are recycled. Recycling different types of plastics reduces landfill waste. It promotes a more sustainable approach to waste management.

Connect with Agricultural Organizations

Engage with local agricultural organizations or cooperatives. These groups often provide information on how to dispose of items. They may also organize special events for collection purposes. Collaborating with these organizations can make the disposal process more efficient and sustainable.

Consider Alternative Materials

Explore the use of alternative materials that are biodegradable or compostable. Transitioning to eco-friendly materials can help decrease the environmental impact of plastic waste. This transition can be achieved by using more environment-friendly materials.

Do The Best You Can

With all of the ever-changing information we have at our fingertips it is important that you stay updated on new methods and their pros and cons. At the end of the day, you can only do the best you can with the information and resources you have at your disposal.

Give Us A Call

Western Packaging has a solution for today’s new and unique packaging needs. We carry agricultural plastics and much more and welcome any questions you have regarding our services. Give us a call today, we would love to chat with you!

27 Sep 2021
Comments: 0

IS BOPP Plastic Recyclable?

When choosing the best packaging for your product, there are many factors to consider. You want to make sure your product will be kept fresh and your label can be clearly printed on the packaging. You also want to lessen your carbon footprint whenever possible. BOPP Bags (Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene Bags) from Western Packaging are useful for many types of industrial and agricultural product packaging. In addition to BOPP recycling being easy, BOPP bags are cost-effective and also weigh less than other packaging alternatives.

What are BOPP Bags?

What is BOPP? Biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) is a stretched polypropylene film that is applied as an additional layer to a woven polypropylene bag. Polypropylene or polypropene is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer that has high impact resistance. Biaxially oriented polypropylene is a durable material that is used to package products such as:

Fertilizers
Grass seed
Rock salt
Pesticides
Rice
Minerals
Concrete mix
Sand
Bird seed
Pet food
Deer corn
Other animal food products.

BOPP plastic is trusted for packaging heavy items because it does not tear easily and is waterproof. BOPP material is strong and durable. It is manufactured by weaving and then laminated using organic materials. Its strength is due to the use of high-quality materials in its manufacture.

The film on BOPP packaging allows for clear and customized printing to be applied to both sides of the bag and on the gussets. These woven bags hold up to the wear and tear of loading and transport. The strength of BOPP bags keeps your product safe from contaminants, microbes, and airborne pollution. You don’t have to worry about anything getting in or out of your BOPP bag once it is sealed.

The Differences Between BOPP, OPP, and PP

OPP and PP bags are also used for packaging and are often confused with BOPP. All three have the basic polymer, polypropylene, in common, but they are manufactured differently. BOPP, Polypropylene (PP), and Oriented Polypropylene (OPP) each have different characteristics and uses.

The Benefits of Using BOPP Bags

There are many benefits to choosing BOPP bags over other options. They keep your product fresher for longer and will not break during the shipping and handling process. The crystal-clear coating means that you can see your product and verify its freshness. Other BOPP uses that make it a good choice for your business are:

Durability
Water-Resistance
Compatibility with automated bagging systems
Easily customizable
UV light resistance
Recyclable

Is BOPP Plastic Recyclable?

Is BOPP recyclable? Is BOPP biodegradable? Many people ask, “Is polypropylene eco-friendly?” BOPP plastic bags are environmentally friendly even though they are not biodegradable. It is able to be reused and recycled. It can actually be recycled many times over while still maintaining its value. Eliminating waste and recycling boosts revenue and decreases your company’s carbon footprint. This is why biaxially oriented polypropylene recycling is a huge benefit to using BOPP plastic bags.

The Environmental Working Group rates polypropylene as a low to moderate hazard. The dope-dyed method of printing bags does not require water and thus requires no wastewater disposal. This is a cost saver for your business and better for the environment.

BOPP Plastic is Cost-Effective

BOPP woven sacks are easy to obtain at a relatively low cost. Their integrity and strength keep your product safe and reduce loss due to seepage. Your product will have a longer shelf life as BOPP bags keep moisture out as well as protect from sun damage. BOPP plastics weigh less than paper bags as they use few layers. Weighing less means more affordable shipping costs. using fewer layers than paper bags, BOPP options weigh less which saves on weight and shipping costs.

Contact Us Today

Our team’s extensive experience with agricultural plastics and machinery allows us to deliver high-quality shipping and packaging supplies. Our products include FIBC bulk livestock feed bags, BOPP bags, woven poly bags, stretch film, hay sleeves, and more. Western Packaging is committed to providing the best solutions whether you need grain bags or wholesale bulk bags.

25 Feb 2021
Comments: 0

Does Environmental Conditions Affect Your Packaging?

Environmental conditions can take a toll on your packaging. You never know what conditions your products are going to travel through. Damage to your packaging poses a risk for the items that are inside. They can be damaged before they even arrive to customers. Western Packaging can help you make the best decisions for packaging your products.

What Are Environmental Issues With Packaging?

The packaging that your items are in can get damaged by environmental elements. They will most likely be indoors and outdoors several times, both shipping and storing at the final destination. They have the potential of experiencing several different weather changes, such as:

Uv Rays From Sunlight
Heat
Rain
Snow

If environmental issues will have a negative effect on your packaging, this can be a real problem. It will affect your bottom line, as well as your relationship with your customer. Damage to the items that are inside of the packaging isn’t going to leave a very happy customer when they receive it. Some of the environmental conditions that packages can experience are explained below.

Water Damage

You never know when it is going to rain while your package is in the shipping process. When it is raining outside, your package may get wet. While slight moisture may not be detrimental, significant water can damage the packaging. As well as the product inside.

You also have to consider where the package is being stored when it arrives at its location. Soil, dirt, fertilizer, animal feed, and more are oftentimes stored in outdoor locations. If the items that you have inside of your packaging will be impacted by getting wet, this can be a big problem. An investment in packaging that can withstand moisture occurring can help.

Sunlight Damage

When packages are in transit, they are subject to many elements of the weather. Sunlight is one of them, and which it also generates heat. This can be a problem for a couple of different reasons. The package can fade from the UV rays and cause it to not be legible.

Many items are stored in outdoor locations. Stores that carry animal feed and gardening soil, usually store them outdoors. When the packaging that is used cannot withstand the sunlight and heat, that is not a good scenario. It is a good idea to have proper packaging that can withstand these types of scenarios.

How To Better Protect Your Packages

You need to ensure that your packaging can hold up to the environmental conditions it is in, you need to do what you can to protect them. Western Packaging has options for you to best protect your packages. Some of the options that they have are:

Laminated Woven Polypropylene Bags That Have A Moisture Barrier
UV Sandbags With Strings To Better Withstand Sunlight
Hay Sleeves To Help With Moisture Control
And More

Sunlight, heat, and water can damage your packaging and the products inside. When the right packaging is used for the environment it could be experiencing, your products are better protected. Customers will be much happier with the appearance and the quality of the items as well.

Let Western Packaging Help you With Packaging Needs

Western Packaging can help you with the proper packaging for your products. We are a reputable company that can provide you with the products that you need for packaging. If you have questions about what is best for you, one of our team members would be glad to assist you. Please contact us.

16 Oct 2019
Comments: 0

How To Create An Attractive and Successful Brand For Your Agricultural Business?

First impressions always stick with you no matter what, it is the one thing you will always remember about a person, place, or thing. Western Packaging has ways of sharing its brand and others with the world through its own type of branding. When you understand your mission you can then properly brand your business and create growth and hopefully a positive memory in your consumer’s minds.

What Is Branding?

Your brand communicates more than what you see on a label or a package, although being a packaging company we do understand the value in attractive packaging. Branding goes beyond that packaging and communicates who you are, your vision, and your promise to the industry you belong to.

Your brand speaks for you and you speak for your brand in every interaction. Your brand is the way you speak to your local farmer, the local chef, or what someone sees when they visit your website or social media page. When you think about your brand think beyond the cute logo you chose and envision relationships that speak volumes about the smallest details of your business.

Do Not Neglect The Value of Branding

As farmers, it is easy to look at branding as something for the new age or that your dollars are better spent elsewhere. Dismissing your brand when you think the purchase of feed or farm equipment is understandable but with the right branding, you can eventually invest more in those areas. What people see when they see you and your product is important.

What if someone knocked on your door selling candy bars and you felt as though their apparel was sloppy and unkempt? You just made a judgment based on outward appearances. As much as we say the outward appearance doesn’t matter in some cases, it does.

The Role of Brand in Marketing

If you don’t have a visible brand you can stagnate your marketing strategy and not reaching anywhere near your farm’s true potential. Your brand is what attracts your customer base and if you haven’t put any thought into it you cripple your marketing strategy and in the end your earning potential and community presence. With a clear and transparent branding campaign, you can express the heart of your farm, your produce, or livestock.

Whether your values are fresh, clean, organic, cost-effective produce, or what have, you this is represented in a brand marketing strategy. Your job as a producer is to prove who you are and gain the trust of your customers. That means that with every interaction you have you will need to prove that your produce is fresh, that it is high-quality, that it is worth investing in.

Making Your Brand Great

If you lack technical skills whether the internet or social media you cannot let that stop you. Farmers commonly make the assumption that if they lack these skills that they can’t pursue certain marketing strategies but this couldn’t be further from the truth. The ability to take pictures or navigate web development helps of course but it is not the number one qualification.

Caring about your business, your vision, and people is really the main factor in making your brand great. Taking the time to create a website that is clean and clearly conveys your message will affect your business greatly. People notice the time and energy you put into your labels, your online presence, and most of all your relationship with your community.

We Can Help

Western Packaging carries attractive and reliable packaging for all your agricultural needs along with labeling equipment. We are here to serve you and help you find the best products that represent your vision. Give us a call today!

21 Oct 2018
Comments: 0

How Packaging Can Help Your Market Your Agricultural Brand

It’s easy in the agricultural business to overlook some of the minor yet major details that help to sell your brand. Packaging is sometimes the first thing potential customers see and this is where Western Packaging can help.

We specialize in all sorts of packaging designs for all types of businesses. By the time you’re done reading we hope you have a vision of how packaging can help you market your brand and take it to new heights.

First Impressions Make or Break Your Brand

You’ve heard first impressions are the most important impressions right? Of course they are, because no matter how much we as human beings try not to judge a book by its cover, we do. Unfortunately, that is human nature.

Whether you are looking for bags to hold dried corn, hay or fresh produce, the packaging can say 100 things about the product you cannot. We find that visuals are immensely important and that is why having the right packaging can be your first line of marketing.

Keep Your Product Fresh and Free From Pests

What good is your product to your customer if it does not have a reputation for freshness? This is where packaging plays a major role in helping to keep the integrity of your brand intact. If your goods show up to a location full of mold or pests, that vendor may never trust your brand again.

Airtight seals and waterproof packaging are perfect ways to store your goods and market it to the public. Who wants the product of the business who has not updated to top of the line packaging? Freshness is a major marketing tool and quality packaging is the only way to achieve that.

Promoting Your Agricultural Brand’s Mission

Have you ever thought about how you could send a message near and far without actually having to be the one to say it? Your packaging does just that for the agricultural business. Some businesses may create t-shirts, coffee mugs, and key chains but for your agricultural brand, proper packaging is the way to go.

Bags and loads of goods will be sent locally, between states, and worldwide depending on your reach. What better way to market and sell your brand than by having your package pre-printed with your message?

Your Product’s Final Resting Place

Wherever your products final resting place is it will have the opportunity to speak for you. It will be sitting on shelves and locations where consumers shopping for other items could take notice.

If your packing is lackluster and not up to date, it will not stand out and draw consumers to your product. Remember those first impressions and how much people take note.

Conservation and Waste Management

With so much information out there today on how to take the best care of the world around us, it is important we take a look at how we can do our part. This is a huge marketing tool for many as everyone is encouraging the reduce-reuse-recycle mantra.

Choosing packaging that reduces waste, is recyclable, and biodegradable is yet another way to market your business. Let people know that your agricultural business cares about the state of the world by using packaging that fits your goods just right, recycling used bags, and of course, letting your customers know how you do your part.

Call Us Today

Western Packaging can supply your business with all of your packaging needs. Your brand is important to us and we would love to hear from you. Give us a call today so we can help you market your agricultural brand today!